Lisa Find Love

Men, listen up: All that time at the gym and clean eating may just be worth it.

Researchers asked male and female students ranging in age from their teens to early 20s at Oklahoma State University and Australia’s Griffith University to rate men from a scale of one to seven on attractiveness. The students were shown photos of nearly 200 shirtless or tank top-wearing men—only bodies were shown, faces were obscured. All of the men photographed attended the University of California, Santa Barbara; 60 of the men were recruited from the school’s gym, while an additional 130 were taking psych classes, according to Washingtonpost.com. All 160 of the women in the study preferred the fittest of the bunch, according to the research in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Study author Aaron Lukaszewski stated the same thing we all did about the results of this study:”Well, duh! Of course, women find strong men the sexiest, why is that science?” Lukaszewski said not one woman preferred weaker-looking men.

Researchers hypothesize that strong bodies have been a traditional indicator of health and a man’s ability to survive and take care of himself. In modern times, that can translate into success at work and how well a man can protect his family.

The researchers cautioned that these results cannot be considered as applicable across the board as the people involved were college-aged men and women. Results can vary according to culture and what qualities women of different ages value. Besides, it’s not as if these shirtless men had their IQs tattooed on their chests.

Here’s an exercise routine that will help men stay forever fit.

The post This Is the Male Body Type Women Find Most Attractive, According to Science appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Panama City, Panama

For a holiday excursion that gets you out of town and invites you and your family to dive into culture, consider a trip to Panama City. Here, you will enjoy equal parts beach and city exploring, with many hotels offering views of the famous Panama Canal, and also within a short taxi ride to downtown where you can explore the scene. Book your stay at The Westin Playa Bonita, where you can either book a room starting at $222 a night, or upgrade to the “Family Package” for a second room at 50 percent off and free meals for children under 12 when you order one for yourself. On site, there are programs designed for kiddos and adults alike, including beach Olympics, stargazing, Spanish lessons, and scrapbooking. It doesn’t hurt to end your day in a make-your-friends-envious oceanfront infinity pool, either.

The post 9 Totally Affordable Beach Vacations to Get Away from the Cold appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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You already know that making a good first impression can go a long way. But forget all the advice you’ve received about dressing to impress or putting on a cheesy smile. Turns out, the true secret to building a lasting connection reaches much deeper than what you wear.

According to Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Business School professor who has researched first impressions for more than 15 years, everyone (consciously or subconsciously) asks two questions when they meeting someone new: Can I trust this person? And can I respect this person?

Both questions help you measure a person’s warmth and competence, respectively. But, Cuddy says, you should put gaining your peers’ trust over winning their respect—even in a workplace setting. “If someone you’re trying to influence doesn’t trust you, you’re not going to get very far; in fact, you might even elicit suspicion because you come across as manipulative,” Cuddy wrote in her book Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges. “A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve established trust does your strength become a gift rather than a threat.”

But that’s not the only way you can start off on the right foot with a stranger. Your physical appearance matters, too. A 2017 study by psychologist Leslie Zebrowitz of Brandeis University found that people use four cues to judge your face: babyfacedness, familiarity, fitness, and emotional resemblance. While you can’t control all of these factors, you can improve your “emotional resemblance” by using body language that builds trust naturally.

The bottom line: The next time you meet someone new, focus on gaining their trust—not winning them over with a firm handshake. You’ll want to know the other unexpected ways people are judging you, too.

[Source: Curiosity]

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Lake Louise in Banff, Canada

The gorgeous Lake Louise is a sought-after destination all year long, but once December hits, the jewel of the Canadian Rockies transforms into a real-life winter wonderland, giving skating enthusiasts the chance to glide across its seasonal stage. The surrounding snow-capped mountains and glaciers only enhance the enchantment, making it a great date for adventure-enthusiasts.

The post 8 Beautiful Natural Ice Skating Rinks Around the World appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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When you think of diseases and health disorders that primarily affect women, breast cancer is probably the first to pop into mind. While breast cancer certainly is very prevalent worldwide, it’s not nearly as common as the number of women suffering from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition.

The National Institutes of Health defines fibromyalgia as “long-lasting or chronic disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue (feeling tired).”

“The hallmarks of fibromyalgia are exhaustion, insomnia, widespread pain, and brain fog,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. Symptoms typically look similar to that of arthritis or tendinitis with pain being the most common complaint. Find out the fibromyalgia symptoms you might be ignoring.

This National Fibromyalgia Association estimates that nearly 10 million people in the United States and three to six percent of the population worldwide suffer from this condition, with 75 to 90 percent being women. (Compare that to the 236,968 American women who were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) While the exact causes of fibromyalgia remain unknown, researchers believe it has something to do with a glitch in the nervous system. Some researchers believe that we’re seeing a steady rise over the years due to the increased stress people face in their daily lives.

“Fibromyalgia represents a very severe form of the human energy crisis, where the demand for energy outstrips our body’s ability to keep up,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. “When that occurs, we essentially blow a fuse/trip a circuit breaker called the hypothalamus.” That means your brain basically tricks your body into being hypersensitive to stimuli that you normally wouldn’t find painful.

While there’s no known cure for the disease, most medical professionals agree that a combined treatment plan of prescription drugs, a healthy diet, exercise, and enough sleep may help alleviate the pain associated with fibromyalgia. Numerous studies show that regular exercise is key when dealing with fibromyalgia as exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. Read on to learn natural treatments for fibromyalgia.

The post This Disease Is More Common in Women Than Breast Cancer appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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“Why are you still single?”

For many single women, this is a question that implies not only that they should they be coupled up, but that if they are not, there is something wrong with them.

In overanalyzing their past relationships, many women experience feelings of guilt, shame, and confusion as to how to go about finding their soul mate, while still coping with being single.

In her new book, How To Be Single and Happy: Science-Based Strategies for Keeping Your Sanity While Looking for a Soul Mate, Jennifer L. Taitz, a clinical psychologist who specializes in dialectical behavioral therapy, offers women a way out of shame and toward their life partner, while also challenging many of the most common myths about dating.

For many women, the prospect of aloneness, in itself, incites a cycle of emotional reasoning that goes something like this:

I’ve been alone forever, and now, no one will ever want to be with me.

The process of dating – in which rejection is inherent – then taxes women further.

“Meeting someone promising who then disappears without apparent cause or explanation is the epitome of invalidation,” writes Taitz.

Taitz cites the work of Baumeister and many others who show that feelings of rejection and invalidation come with emotional, social, and cognitive consequences, often compromising our ability think clearly, and manage our emotions.

Yet the advice women are often given – to think like a lady and act like a man, wear compromising clothing, or even move to another state – only invalidates them further and doesn’t really help.

“To sidestep hopelessness, we all need wisdom,” writes Taitz.

The first step, she says, is to identify unhealthy psychological habits that obfuscate fulfillment.

“The belief that your happiness hinges on an external circumstance that you can’t control (i.e. meeting a romantic partner) not only makes it harder to find love, but also sets you up for unhappiness,” writes Taitz.

Happiness comes from letting go of the idea that you are not complete until you meet the right person.

Not only is it possible to be happy right now, but it also is the best way to actually increase your chances of finding love. Pointing to the work of Sonya Lyubomirsky, one of the foremost researchers on happiness, Taitz tells us that happiness is comprised of three factors: our genetics (what is referred to as our “happiness setpoint”), our circumstances, and our activities. What is most promising about this, however, is that circumstances – like relationship status – only account for a small part of our happiness.

What matters more in the happiness equation is our activities. For this reason, Taitz often prescribes activities to her patients, like Rachel, who after going to a concert, stated, “music is amazing.”

Interestingly, this was not only the first positive emotion Rachel had experienced, but the first one not connected to her relationship status.

“David Johnson, at the Pennsylvania State University, suggests that people who marry and stay married tend to report feeling above average life satisfaction before they wed, which again supports the idea that marriage arises from happiness, not the other way around,” writes Taitz.

However, many things can interfere with happiness. Social networking, comparing our lives to others online portrayals of happiness, obsessing over our situation, regretting our decisions, and even anticipating regret can all keep us stuck in a cycle of paralysis where happiness evades us. Here Taitz offers powerful advice:

“If your concerns are based on your values and inner wisdom, allow fear of regret to be there and act courageously anyway,” she writes.

Pursuing our values, Taitz tells us, also keeps us focused on the process of our lives, as opposed to the outcome.

“Values aren’t measured by what we get but what we give,” she writes.

Knowing what we want and crafting a plan to create it can give us a feeling of control over our lives, releasing us from feeling as though our happiness is based on external circumstances that we can’t control.

Through practicing acceptance, Taitz says we can learn to see painful experiences as natural and normal parts of life, and not things that lead to irreversible suffering.

Developing a sense of compassion for ourselves will also improve our self-acceptance, mindfulness, and positive emotions – all things that, according to the work of Barbara Frederickson, help us expand our thinking, connect with others, and avoid getting stuck in our heads – especially about relationships.

Drawing on fascinating and relevant research about human relationships and happiness, and numerous relatable examples from her years of clinical practice, Taitz turns the tables on the relationship-happiness equation.

A relationship is not a recipe for happiness, rather, it is often the outcome of a happy, fulfilled life. How To Be Single and Happy shows women just how to create this life – empowering them along the way.

How To Be Single and Happy: Science-Based Strategies for Keeping Your Sanity While Looking for a Soul Mate
Jennifer L. Taitz
Tarcher Perigree
January 2018
Softcover, 217 Pages

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Smell worn underwear

Have you ever given your undergarments a good whiff to see if they can be used again? Nearly 31 percent of women and 44.3 percent of men can relate, reports a recent survey from Online Doctor of over 1,500 Europeans and Americans. Although you may assume it’s unanimous that undies are a one-and-done item, the survey showed that a significant chunk of people are willing to re-wear underwear if it smells up to par. Word of advice: You’re better off putting on a clean pair. Here are more underwear mistakes that can mess with your health.

The post Busted! 10 Disgusting Habits We All Do in Secret appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Let’s face it: The chances of you hitting the lottery or falling into a massive inheritance are slim. So if you really want to earn the big bucks, it all narrows down to the profession you choose.

A good place to start would probably be to avoid majoring in these subjects in college. Next, it’s best to steer clear of the service field. According to CareerCast, a job listing site, service jobs are the lowest-paying professions. As for which jobs bring home the most bacon, CareerCast has compiled its annual “Highest-Paying Jobs” report for 2017, and it’s chock-full of good news [for people who went to medical school.]

The rankings were compiled using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics through 2028. These were the year’s top 10 highest-paying professions:

1. Surgeon – Median Salary: $409,665
2. Orthodontist – Median Salary: $208,000
3. Psychiatrist – Median Salary: $194,740
4. General Practice Physician – Median Salary: $190,490
5. Senior Corporate Executive – Median Salary: $181,210
6. Dentist – Median Salary: $153,900
7. Petroleum Engineer – Median Salary: $128,230
8. Podiatrist – Median Salary: $124,830
9. Air Traffic Controller – Median Salary: $122,410
10. Pharmacist – Median Salary: $122,230

Want to make more money without investing in a doctorate? Check out these 12 cool jobs that don’t require a degree. Next, brush up on the habits of successful people, like what they do every morning, what they do on weekends, and how they de-stress after a long day. 

[Source: Mental Floss / GOBankingRates.com]

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If you’re planning on taking a long trip to or from Hawaii, you might want to think twice before booking a flight with this airline. According to a study published by Dr. Charles Platkin, director of the Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center and founder of DietDetective.com, Hawaiian Airlines serves the unhealthiest food of any U.S. airline.

The study’s findings reveal that the average snack box contains 342 calories, the average individual snack contains 460 calories, and the average meal contains a whopping 971 calories. When averaged together, that’s a mean of 568 calories. Hawaiian Airlines didn’t provide any food information, so all of the nutritional information are estimates by Diet Detective nutritionists. (How many calories should you be eating every day? This equation will tell you the exact amount.)

Even though you should really avoid eating at high altitudes, sometimes hunger can become unbearable. So, if you must eat while you’re aboard, the study suggests to snack on the Hummus & Pita Chips. “It’s really the best choice, and better than any of the individual snacks, which are very high in calories,” says the study. If you decide to skip the snacks and take advantage of the complimentary meals, the study suggests the Penne Pasta Bolognese Sauce and green salad.

“In the end, it would be best to eat before you board the plane; otherwise you might wind up feeling lethargic and cranky after one of these calorie-heavy meals,” the study says. The study also lists an estimated calorie count for every item on the Hawaiian Airlines’ individual snack menu, which range in calorie count from the Trail’s Best beef and cheese sticks at 100 calories to Island Princess Mele Macs at 1,120 calories. (Find out the 13 things airlines won’t tell you—but you should definitely know.)

“There are a few airlines that realize serving clean, tasty, healthy food is what consumers want and need. However, most are still not getting the message that serving healthy food and providing transparency (e.g. nutrient information and ingredients) is important,” Dr. Platkin told Reader’s Digest. “Airlines should take note…there is a plethora of research that food directly impacts mood. Feeling bad after a salt and fat/sugar-heavy meal, even if it’s tasty, could make passengers unhappy about their entire travel experience. So, for the airlines, improving the health quality of the food could potentially increase customer experience and brand loyalty.”

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The quality of the airport you visit can make or break your air travel experience. While the United States is home to arguably the world’s worst airport—we’re looking at you, LaGuardia—the happiest airport in the world apparently lies across the Atlantic.

HappyOrNot, a Finnish company that gathers customer feedback, recently released its inaugural Airport Report, a compilation of data from its “smiley terminals” (units with four smiley face buttons that visitors push to rate their experience at that airport) located at 160 airports in 36 countries.

The report highlighted the eight happiest airports in the world, based on their customer satisfaction levels, and named Exeter Airport in South West England the happiest airport, with an approval rating of 88.66 percent.

If money is no object and you simply want a pleasant airport experience, it looks like England is your best bet. In fact, four of the report’s top eight happiest airports are located in the U.K.; the others are Newcastle International Airport (87.05 percent), London Southend Airport (86.79 percent), and Cardiff Airport (86.57 percent).

There was a tie for second place between Cork Airport in the Republic of Ireland and Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport in Rome; both had satisfaction levels of 88.45. Only one American airport made the top eight, and that was Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, coming in fourth place.

The report also broke down the time, day, and month where travelers are happiest in airports. Based on their findings, traveling at 9 a.m. on a Tuesday in October or November will bring you optimal joy.

What the data doesn’t show, however, is how to have a decent experience at airports that didn’t make this list. Don’t worry: Just avoid these 16 airport mistakes that could ruin your flight, and you’ll be able to survive in any airport. Even LaGuardia.

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When you think “family vacation,” Disney World is probably one of the first destinations to come to mind. The only problem? As much as you’d love to take your kids, saving money on Disney vacations seems impossible. Just by planning your travel dates strategically, though, you could save $100 a day—seriously.

Disney parks bases its prices on how busy it expects to be. Although multi-day ticket packs stay consistent the whole year, single-day adult tickets are either value ($99 at Disney World or $97 at Disneyland), regular ($107 or $110), or peak ($119 or $124) depending on the day. There are a few differences between the parks’ peak dates, but both follow the same trends. (Don’t miss these other 9 surprising differences between Disney World and Disneyland.)

The major rule of thumb: Avoid holidays. In 2017, Disney World’s peak prices lasted all the way from December 31 to January 3, 2018. (If you do need to travel then, use these tips for beating holiday crowds in Disney World.) Wait just a few weeks, and you’ll score a much better deal. Aside from Saturdays, the last two weeks of January will have the value price. Late March and early April—which falls over Easter and most students’ spring breaks—are also among the most expensive times to go. Summer prices peak from the last week of June through the 4th of July.

You might expect regular and high prices to last all summer, but kids with late starts to school are in luck—the last week of August is actually among the cheapest times to visit, and fall weekdays are also priced at a value. (Just don’t fall for these 10 things that are a waste of money on vacation.)

While your multi-day ticket won’t be affected by peak pricing, the calendars are a good indicator of how much you should expect to pay at a hotel. For instance, at value hotel Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort in Florida, a standard two-bed room goes the cheapest in late January, when rooms cost as little as $96 a night (or as low as $107 in early December), but bookings are the most expensive around Christmas and New Year’s, about $181 a night. Over a weeklong stay, those savings could add up to more than $500. The stakes are even higher at moderately priced Florida hotels like Disney’s Carribbean Beach Resort, where picking late January instead of late December saves as much as $101 a day. (Check out these 7 ways you can actually make money on vacation.)

Bottom line: A few weeks can make a big difference to your wallet. The holidays might be a convenient break for trips, but they’ll also cost you the most. Treat yourself to Holiday Break Part II later to stretch those dollars further.

Don’t miss these other 8 insider secrets for the best Disney vacation.

[Source: Coastal Living]

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If you have the luxury of a relative who just loves trips to the airport, then this isn’t your issue. But for most people, fretting over airport parking prices is just another stressful element of air travel. But the cost for airport parking isn’t a country-wide constant, and some regions have it much harder than others.

Travelbank recently dug into the numbers behind paying for a temporary home for your car, ranking the most and least expensive airports for parking in the U.S.  When considering the car park cost hierarchy, two primary factors were taken into account: the daily rate for Short-Term/Terminal Side parking and the cost for Long-Term/Economy parking.

These are the top five most expensive U.S. airports for parking:

1. New York LaGuardia (LGA) – $59*/$39**
2. Boston Logan International (BOS) $70*/$26
3. Seattle Tacoma International (IAH) $37*/$30**
4. San Francisco International (SFO) $36*/$25**
5. New York John F. Kennedy International (JFK) $39*/$18**
   1. Newark Liberty International (EWR) $39*/$18**

* Short-term/Terminal Side ** Long-term/Economy

The New York Metropolitan area was well-represented in the pricey parking department, taking three of four top spots. Interestingly enough, the airport with the most expensive parking, LGA, also has the title of the worst airport in America. (Thankfully, they’re getting an $8 billion upgrade!)

Now, to the more cost-effective options. These are the top five cheapest airports for parking:

1. Orlando International (MCO) – $17*/$10**
   1. Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) – $20*/$7**
2. Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) – $22*/$6**
3. Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) – $22*/$8
4. Tampa International  (TPA) – $22*/$10**
   1. Denver International (DEN) – $24*/$8**
5. Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International (HNL) – $18*/$15**

Now that we covered airport parking in America, find out which airport has the most expensive parking in the world. (Hint: It’s not in the United States!)

[Source: Travelbank]

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After learning about Betsy Ross, you probably didn’t give much thought to how the subsequent U.S flags were designed. It might seem like a no-brainer; flagmakers just added a new star for every new state, right?

Well, turns out it’s not that simple. Each new flag has a very careful design, and the arrangement of the stars must be precise and symmetrical. And for the flag we know today, that arrangement was designed by a high schooler—before Alaska and Hawaii were even states. (These gorgeous American flag photos are sure to make you feel patriotic.)

In 2009, the designer, Bob Heft, told his tale to StoryCorps. It was 1958, and America only contained 48 United States. The flag at that time featured six rows of eight stars. Heft’s history teacher assigned a class project where each student had to bring in something they made. Having been “inspired by the Betsy Ross story,” and hearing rumblings that Alaska and Hawaii could both soon gain statehood, Heft decided to make a 50-star flag. So he made some adjustments to his parents’ 48-star flag, brought it in, and triumphantly placed it on his teacher’s desk.

His teacher, however, was not impressed. Heft remembers him asking why it had extra stars, chiding, “You don’t even know how many states we have.” Heft’s teacher gave the project a B minus.

But Heft protested the low grade. He told StoryCorps that for each new flag, “The [goal] is to add [stars] so no one can tell there’s a change in the design.” And he felt that his design, with five rows of six stars and four rows of five, did that perfectly. His teacher told him, “If you don’t like your grade, get it accepted into Washington, then come back…and I might consider changing your grade.”

Heft heartily accepted the challenge. He spent the next two years making calls and writing letters to the White House. He even reached out to one of his state representatives, Walter H. Moeller from Ohio, who advocated for Heft’s design. During this time, Alaska became the 49th state, and a 49-star flag briefly flew. After Hawaii gained statehood as well, Heft got the call he’d been hoping for. President Eisenhower told him that his flag design had been chosen out of over a thousand. On July 4th, 1960, Heft went to the White House to see his school project design become the official American flag. In 2007, the 50-star flag became the longest-running U.S. flag. And, yes, his teacher did update his grade to an A.

And Heft didn’t stop there! After his 50-star design got accepted, he decided to keep ahead of the times by designing a 51-star flag as well. Sadly, he passed away in 2009, but he gave his 51-star design to a state representative just in case. And if the speculation about Washington, DC or Puerto Rico gaining statehood proves true, that flag might be put to use too! This would make Heft the only person to design two United States flags. Sorry, Betsy Ross! (That is, if she actually was the one who designed the original U.S. flag.)

Next, learn a fascinating fact about each of the states that those 50 stars represent.

[Sources: todayifoundout.com, StoryCorps]

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Avoid badmouthing their ex

As much as you might want to curse out the person who may have put your friend in this situation, experts agree that it’s best to hold back. And make sure you never say any of these things to someone going through a divorce. Saying negative things about the ex puts your friend in an awkward position, explains Julienne Derichs, a licensed clinical professional counselor based in Chicago: He or she may have to defend their choice in marrying a jerk. Instead, she suggests focusing on the qualities that make your friend the amazing person she or he is and to steer their mind towards the things they should be grateful for in life. “Sympathize with them and acknowledge that any transition is difficult, but that they are not alone,” Derichs adds.

The post 13 Ways to Help a Friend Going Through a Divorce appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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With the dozens of passwords you need to keep track of, it’s tempting to find a simple string of letters or numbers to remember and stick with that. If it’s easy for you, though, it’s probably easy for hackers to figure out too.

Software company SplashData analyzed more than 5 million passwords leaked in 2017 to find out which were the easiest for hackers to figure out. For the fourth year in a row, “123456” and “password” topped the list of least secure passwords. They’re likely among the first passwords an identity thief will try, so you’re leaving the door wide open for crooks to steal your information. (Here are 26 more secrets identity thieves don’t want you to know.)

Don’t think that sneaky letter-to-number trick will save you either. Nineteen on the list was “passw0rd,” using a 0 instead of an O. “Hackers know your tricks, and merely tweaking an easily guessable password does not make it secure,” says SpashData CEO Morgan Slain in a press release. (But here are 5 ways to protect your cell phone from hackers.)

Using your hobbies and interests could be easy to figure out too. Also on the top 25 worst passwords were “football” (9), “monkey” (13), “starwars” (16), and “dragon” (18). Cutesy sayings also weren’t hard to crack. Some of the most common included “letmein” (7), “iloveyou” (10), “welcome” (12), and the creative “trustno1” (25). (Learn why SMS text verification for passwords could actually put you at risk.)

Using an easy-to-guess password makes it easy to steal your data. Reusing those same weak passwords across multiple accounts means if a hacker gets into one account, you leave the door open for him or her to make it into other accounts more easily, too. (Find out how to know if your password recovery question is easy to hack.)

The best passwords are at least 12 characters long, and use a mix of characters such as capital and lowercase letters, according to SplashData. (Use this website to help make a foolproof password.) Using a fresh password for every account also helps, so use a password manager to keep you organized. If the password is so hard that even you can’t remember it, a hacker will have a hard time breaking in, too.

Here are the top 25 worst passwords:

Rank	Password
1	123456
2	password
3	12345678
4	qwerty
5	12345
6	123456789
7	letmein
8	1234567
9	football
10	iloveyou
11	admin
12	welcome
13	monkey
14	login
15	abc123
16	starwars
17	123123
18	dragon
19	passw0rd
20	master
21	hello
22	freedom
23	whatever
24	qazwsx
25	trustno1

To see all 100 of the worst passwords of the year, visit the full list from SplashData.

[Source: Mental Floss]

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Prevent a blister with deodorant

Blisters are worsened by moisture and friction, so keeping your feet bone dry can help prevent them from forming. Slide the gel variety around the sides and tops of clean, dry feet before slipping on a new pair of shoes; the deodorant should act as a home remedy to lubricate any problem areas and reduce rubbing. But if you do get one, read on to learn how to treat a blister using simple home remedies. And while you’ve got that deodorant, make sure you’re not making one of these common deodorant mistakes.

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While it’s true that many illnesses are foreign to the average person, many of the core symptoms of mental illness are familiar to virtually everyone.

“Not only does the public have a reasonable sense about what the symptoms of mental illness feel like, it also has some intuitive grasp about what causes them,” writes Jason Schnittker.

In his new book, The Diagnostic System: Why The Classification Of Psychiatric Disorders Is Necessary, Difficult, And Never Settled, Schnittker explores the evolution of the manual we use to understand mental illness – the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

Schnittker explores the often confusing and seemingly contradictory processes of defining criteria of mental illnesses, helping readers appreciate that a fluid approach is an adaptive strength of mental health professionals, and one that is necessary to boost our understanding of mental illness.

To understand how we develop a framework for understanding mental illness, we must appreciate that the way clinicians, scientists, and the public think about mental illness seek to serve different needs, yet cannot be segregated.

“The science of psychiatric disorders, for example, proceeds from how clinicians define disorders. And controversies surrounding how the public understand mental illness have corollaries in debates surrounding how scientists conceptualize mental illness,” writes Schnittker.

Yet clinicians themselves rarely agree on diagnoses. Schnittker points to one study where agreement among clinicians on thirty five separate cases amounted to only 46 percent on the category of the disorder and 20 percent on the specific diagnosis.

We also cannot look to the research on psychiatric disorders to provide much consensus.

“Results of one study could not easily be compared with another. A study could be promising but not easily reproduced in another setting,” writes Schnittker.

Psychiatric disorders are, after all, human disorders.

Robert Spitzer, who led the task force that wrote the DSM-III was tasked with writing a manual that accurately reflected psychiatric diagnosis as they may appear in varied and nuanced forms in a wide variety of people. He also had to do so without displaying any bias toward any one theoretical orientation, be both sensitive and specific, and base diagnoses on their symptoms while still allowing them to be classified into categories.

The result of the DSM-III, however, characterizes the problem that diagnosing and classifying mental disorders may always face: it solved one problem while introducing many more.

“Once the problem of reliability had been addressed, researchers were in a position to question the validity of psychiatric disorders using better evidence – and indeed, evidence that could not be provided before the development of the specific criteria,” writes Schnittker.

As the process goes, there will always also be proposals for revisions to better improve the DSM and perhaps satisfy individual interests. However, Schnittker points to Allen Francis, the architect of the DSM-IV, who conceded that there was likely no way to articulate a thoroughly satisfying definition of a mental disorder, even if there were ways to create useful diagnostic criteria.

Francis even went further to argue that in reality there might be no way to even define the concept of mental disorder.

What we can embrace, and what Schnittker suggests, is a dimensional approach.

“In a dimensional framework, psychological functioning is assessed on a spectrum. Individuals suffer, for example, from more or less depression, anxiety, and phobia. The dimensional approach assigns more significance to individual symptoms than entire syndromes,” writes Schnittker.

While the DSM may induce reification – the transforming of the abstract into the real – it might also obscure, and perhaps falsely create disorders out of what would be better left transparent.

“Clinical utility – always a goal of the DSM – is not well served by categorical thinking,” Schnittker writes.

One example is the diagnosis of schizophrenia. While the hallmark of the disorder is positive symptoms, clinicians have long noticed many other symptoms, such as cognitive deficits and poor working memory that occur as part of the disorder.

However, pharmaceutical research has been tailored to the symptoms explicitly listed in the DSM, and only those symptoms, which leads “to a discontinuity between the schizophrenia that is the subject of research and the schizophrenia that is the target of treatment,” according to Schnittker.

While scientists use the DSM to set the foundation for research on psychiatric disorders, the public seek insights to shed light on their experiences, and clinicians seek a way to effectively communicate and represent their work to other clinicians and outside parties. Schnittker points out that the DSM will continue to remain controversial because it is difficult – if not impossible – to envision a criteria that would satisfy every stakeholder.

In a well-written critique of the process of understanding and diagnosing psychiatric disorders, Schnittker exposes the many competing constituencies that complicate the development of the DSM. However, Schittker also encourages us to think beyond the polemic approach, to see that while a perfect agreement of psychiatric disorders may never be found, the strength of the mental health profession is its adaptive approach.

The Diagnostic System: Why The Classification Of Psychiatric Disorders Is Necessary, Difficult, And Never Settled
Jason Schnittker
Columbia University Press
August 2017
Hardcover, 305 Pages

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Some cities are more popular destinations for fliers than others. For instance, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta is the busiest airport in America, according to the Airports Council International. But it isn’t part of the most popular flight route between cities.

Routes Online took data from air travel data company OAG’s schedule analyzer to figure out the busiest route in the Americas. Between North and South America, the busiest flight route is between Sao Paulo Congonhas and Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont. The route between the Brazilian hubs sees more than 4 million passengers every year, according to Routes Online. (Every passenger should quit making these 16 airport mistakes before their next flight.)

In just the United States, the most popular route by far runs between Los Angeles International and John F. Kennedy International in New York. In a single year, 2.9 million passengers take a flight from one to the other, making it the third most high-traffic plane route in the Americas. The 2,474-mile trip costs $337.66 on average. (Those 2,000 miles make it way longer than the shortest flight in America, which lasts just 16 minutes.)

Another New York airport, LaGuardia, is part of the country’s second most popular flight route, between LGA and Chicago O’Hare, which sees 2.4 million passengers every year. (LGA also happens to be the country’s worst airport; find out what its $8 billion makeover has in store.) Los Angeles makes another appearance on the list, too, because the third most traveled air route goes between LA and San Francisco, with 2.2 million travelers.

Here’s a full list of the five busiest U.S. air routes:

Rank	Route between cities	Number of passengers
1	Los Angeles International (LAX) and New York JFK (JFK)	2,873,316
2	New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD)	2,362,480
3	San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles International (LAX)	2,238,043
4	Los Angeles International (LAX) and Seattle-Tacoma (SEA)	1,990,802
5	San Francisco (SFO) and New York JFK (JFK)	1,844,864

For more airport facts, find out the cheapest and most expensive airports in America.

[Source: Travel + Leisure]

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We can all agree that the smell of freshly baked treats is practically heaven on earth, right? Sadly, batch after batch of cookies has left your baking sheets covered in gross, rust-colored patches. But wait! Before you splurge on something new at the store, there’s an easier way to make your trusty cookie sheets look brand new again—and the secret is probably sitting in your pantry right now.

Simply scrubbing your baking sheet with baking soda and a layer of hydrogen peroxide can finally get the stains gone for good, according to PureWow.

Best of all, taking your sheets from “blah” to beautiful couldn’t be easier. Start by sprinkling a layer of baking soda onto the baking sheet. Then, pour a small dose of hydrogen peroxide on top and add more making soda on top of that. After leaving the mixture to sit for at least two hours, wipe it away with a sponge or rag.

Voilà! You can officially bid “bon voyage” to those pesky stains. If you’re concerned that the chemicals might damage your sheets, test it out on a small spot on the back. You’ll wish you knew these brilliant kitchen shortcuts sooner, too.

Don’t just take our word for it, though. Blogger Jillee of One Good Thing calls this method is a “Miracle Cleaner.” After leaving the mixture on her baking sheet while she went out for breakfast, she was clearly impressed with the result. “When we got home, I rubbed a little of the cleaner off and was actually quite astonished to see MOST of the gunk came right off,” she wrote on her blog. “Minimal rubbing with my fingers was required.”

Ready to try this trick for yourself? Here’s the upside: You now have a great excuse to bake another batch of cookies. Happy baking!

[Source: Woman’s Day]

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Advanced cholesterol panel

Picture a highway with 100 passengers. If they are driving 10 to a minivan, there are only 10 large vehicles on the road, and it is not too congested. If all 100 are riding in individual small cars, there’s a lot more traffic. That is how large and small LDL cholesterol appears in arteries. Lots of LDL particles clog up the artery highway. Those LDL riders in cars can also be hard and dense, like a golf ball, or large and soft, like a sponge. The small, dense LDL particles do a lot more damage to arteries. (Here are some foods that lower cholesterol naturally.)

This is why two people with an LDL level of 100 mg/dl can have different heart disease risks, because it’s possible that they have widely different particle numbers and sizes. If someone has fewer than 1,000 LDL particles in a blood sample and they are large in size, their risk for hardening of arteries is low. A second person might have a particle number of 2,000 be loaded with small “golf balls” that are knocking into and entering arteries to cause plaques. (Don’t miss these silent signs of clogged arteries.)

An advanced cholesterol panel blood test can tell you more about your LDL particle number and size.

The post 11 Tests for Heart Disease You Never Knew You Needed appeared first on Reader's Digest.

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Plank hold

“Get down on all fours resting your forearms and knees on the floor,” says Dede Lagree, owner and head trainer at Lagree Fitness Studio who has worked with Ashley Graham, Viola Davis, Elsa Hosk, and Bella Thorne. “Then step your feet back to a plank position. Contract abs to keep your body in a straight line and spine parallel to the floor. Abs should be pulling toward the ceiling. The key is to hold it for as long as you can.” Lagree recommends starting out by holding for 20 seconds and working your way up to a minute, or longer. Come down to starting position, rest and repeat three times. Want to kick it up a notch? Here’s a look at some plank upgrades.

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Making the decision to go vegan or vegetarian has plenty of perks for your health and the planet. (But there is one major mental health downside.) Still, it can be a tough switch to make, especially in America; only Australia eats more meat per capita than we do. The switch is one thing, but according to a new study from the Humane Research Council, sticking with it is even tougher.

The study, which analyzed a representative sample of 11,000 U.S. participants 17 and older, found that 84 percent of people who have adopted vegetarianism or veganism at some point in their lives have gone back to eating meat. A bit less than one in five vegans and vegetarians maintain their diet. All told, two percent of the U.S. population is either vegetarian or vegan.

But the research went a bit further, digging into the rationale behind the diet drop. The researchers posit that some of the drop might be due to a lack of a gradual transition into the diet; 65 percent of former vegetarians and vegans said they made the transition abruptly, over a few days or weeks. For current vegetarians or vegans, only 53 percent transitioned that quickly. (Here are 4 traps you need to avoid when you become a vegetarian.)

The current vegetarians and vegans have different motivations than the former, however. Most (58 percent) in the former group cited just only health as the main motivator, while most in the current group named several factors, including personal health, animal welfare, and environmentalism.  (These 13 things will happen to your body when you adopt a vegan diet.)

[Source: Fast Company]

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What is A1C?

There are diabetes tests every diabetic should know about, and the A1C is a screen that has been used to monitor and track blood glucose for more than 40 years. Health-care providers use this tool to get a three-month window into a patient’s blood sugar levels. “It helps us analyze if you are under good, moderate, or poor glucose control, and can thus help us direct comprehensive care recommendations, and work with you in achieving and maintaining good compliance of treatment goals,” says Mona Morstein, a naturopathic doctor and author of Master Your Diabetes: A Comprehensive, Integrative Approach for Both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes and founder and executive director of the Low Carb Diabetes Association. Don’t miss this step-by-step plan for reversing diabetes.

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When I joined an international pen pal club in November 1959, I had no idea how it would change my life. I was an RN at a large hospital in Bremen, in northern Germany. By December, the letters started pouring in. One letter from Sweden piqued my interest. It was from a Swedish horticulturist who lived and worked 
in Helsingborg. He wrote the letter in German, and soon many more of his letters crossed 
The Sound, or Oresund, and the Baltic Sea.

Around Easter in 1960, Nils wanted to meet. He arrived on Good Friday. On Saturday, we took a 12-mile hike in rainy April weather to Worpswede, a famous artist village in Lower Saxony, Germany. In the evening, we visited the world-renowned Ratskeller in Bremen, which housed Europe’s oldest wine barrel, dated 1653.

By this time, it was not only the wine that had warmed our hearts. Nils proposed, and we planned our wedding 
in Sweden for Midsommar (midsummer), 
a joyful annual holiday in Scandinavia in late June. Two days later, Nils flew back home, and 
I was left to plan the wedding by mastering piles of paperwork and fighting bureaucracy.

Now what? I did not speak Swedish and decided to cram in 10 hours of Berlitz language lessons a week before the wedding.

We drove to Helsingborg, where the marriage took place in a beautiful old kyrka (church) with Nils’ family and a few friends present. My father was still in East Germany, behind the Iron Curtain. To this day, I do not know what the pastor said, but according to the certificate, we were married!

At the end of 1962, we moved 
to Encinitas, California, to establish a flower business for 
a well-known Swedish grower. 
Nils built the business and eventually purchased it from his boss, changing from carnations 
to roses shipped around the U.S.

We became U.S. citizens and adopted two children. Nils and I did a lot of volunteer work in the community and received many awards.

Nils died at home in 2004 when he was 82. We had a blessed 43-year marriage after our Swedish/German courtship blitz.

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In the middle to late 1800s, immigrants from Northern and Western Europe came to America, escaping famine and looking for opportunities. Many demanded a style of beer more suited to what was found back home. For some, that meant lager. Until then, beer in America typically meant a British-style ale, brewed locally and made with top-fermenting yeast. Lager benefited from better cooling and sanitation methods that were available. As a result, brewers could increase output to satisfy the demand. Per capita consumption of beer went from fewer than 4 gallons in 1865 to almost 20 gallons in 1915, a 500 percent increase in 50 years. Here are some of the most important dates in the history of beer. (These are the best craft beers from each of the 50 states.)

1754  – George Washington enters a beer recipe into his notebook.

1819 – Francis Perot uses the first steam engine in his Philadelphia brewery.

1826 – The American Society for the Promotion of Temperance forms in Boston. In three years, its membership reaches more than 100,000.

1829 – David G. Yuengling opens a brewery in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, that remains America’s oldest still in operation.

1844 – Jacob Best starts a brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, later known as Pabst Brewing Co.

(Good news beer lovers! Science just proved that beer actually does lift your spirits.)

1846 – Maine becomes the first state to pass a prohibition law.

1849 – August Krug forms a brewery in Milwaukee that becomes Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co.

1850 – Bernhard Stroh established Lion’s Head Brewery in Detroit, Michigan, later renamed The Stroh Brewery Co.

1852 – George Schneider launches a brewery in St. Louis, Missouri, that later becomes industry giant Anheuser-Busch InBev.

1854 – Frederick Miller purchases the Plank-Road Brewery near Milwaukee, later renamed Miller Brewing Co.

1858 – Gottlieb Heileman and John Gund launch City Brewery, later called G. Heileman Brewing Co., in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

1873 – Adolph Coors and Denver confectioner Jacob Schueler convert an abandoned tannery in Golden, Colorado, into Golden Brewery, today the largest single-site brewery in the world.

1873 – Adolphus Busch, partner in Anheuser-Busch Brewing, begins pasteurizing his beer.

1919 – After 36 states ratify the resolution, the secretary of state proclaims the 18th Amendment part of the Constitution, effective January 16, 1920.

1932 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt wins the presidency over incumbent Herbert Hoover on a platform that includes repealing the ban.

1933 – Congress proposes the 21st Amendment to repeal Prohibition. Utah provides the final vote to institute the change.

1935 – American Can Co. and G. Krueger Brewing Co. introduce canned beer.

1959 – Coors Brewing Co. introduces aluminum cans.

1962 – Pittsburg Brewery Co. introduces pull tabs on cans of its Iron City beer.

1967 – Meister Brau in Chicago, Illinois, introduces light beer made from a recipe devised by biochemist-turned-brewer Joseph L. Owades.

1977 – Jack McAuliffe starts New Albion Brewing Co. in Sonoma, California, the first modern craft brewery.

1982 – Bert Grant opens Grant’s Brewery Pub in Yakima, Washington. It’s the first since Prohibition to sell food along with beer brewed on the premises.

If this article made you want to crack open a beer, here are 19 beers that you need to try right now.

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When I was planning my wedding, I knew exactly who I wanted to be my flower girl. I love my younger cousins, but I chose a woman who has been married for over 50 years, raised four kids, and cared for 11 grandkids and eight great-grandkids­. I chose Margie Miller, my grandmother. (This is the history behind why we have flower girls in our weddings.)

What a legacy Maw Maw has given us. She’s a one-of-a-kind, special edition woman who can sew, cook, clean, garden, farm, feed chickens, chase children, and smile at the same time. I wanted that strong, faithful woman to lead me down the aisle at my wedding.

She didn’t believe me when I asked her to be my flower girl! My husband-to-be, Chris, loves his grandparents as much as I love mine, so I asked his granny, Patsy Chatham, to be a flower girl, too.

We didn’t tell the guests about our surprise. When Maw Maw 
and Granny came down the aisle tossing petals, they shocked a lot 
of people. But I think everyone fell in love with them. How could they not? Margie and Patsy were so cute as flower girls.

Of course, our wedding wasn’t 
a typical one. The bridal party was small—in addition to the flower girls, my aunt was the matron of honor and Chris’ father was the best man.

The ceremony was held outdoors, and our friends supplied the music.

After the ceremony, we released “I do” balloons and danced down the aisle to the song “Good Day for Marrying You.” After enjoying tons of candy and southern food, Chris and I rode away on a bicycle built for two as guests held sparklers.

It was all great fun, but what made our wedding special was the people who helped make Chris and me who we are. When my brother and I were kids, we hung out with our grandparents while our parents worked. Maw Maw let me cook with her and taught me how to play piano. We went camping and talked for hours. And she was there for me when I was diagnosed with childhood cancer at age 12.

Today, we are still close. Maw Maw and I live about 15 minutes from each other and love to go antique shopping and exploring our home state of Mississippi.

Growing up, it’s easy to idolize the adults you love. They are bigger than life, stronger than nails and tougher than any car on the market. However, you slowly see that the house you once thought was so 
big is actually smaller than you remembered, and the hand that gripped yours in support, though still strong, is becoming arthritic.

Family is the most important thing, and I was so pleased to have them by my side at our wedding. But I’m even more pleased that I have them every day after.

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Some of us run on sleep; some of us run on coffee. While becoming a coffee addict might not be the healthiest way to make it through the day, a caffeine kick is sometimes the only way to stay energized when there’s no time to nap. You might not be getting what you want from your Starbucks stop though.

Ordering a Venti (or “large” as other cafes would say; find out why Starbucks has different size names) latte sounds like a natural choice to pack in the most espressos into one handy drink. But that massive drink in your hand is a bit misleading.

A Tall hot latte is made with one shot of espresso, and a Grande comes with two shots. The logical conclusion would be that a Venti will contain three shots, but that’s not the case. A former Starbucks employee reveals to Business Insider that a hot Venti latte contains just two shots of espresso—no more than a Grande. Nutrition facts from Starbucks confirm a Grande has 150 milligrams of caffeine…and so does a Venti. (Don’t miss this breakdown of caffeine content in your favorite coffee brands.)

So when you pay extra for the larger size, you aren’t getting a bigger buzz—you’re just getting more milk and flavored syrup. (Learn the other coffee drink Starbucks employees say you should never order.)

Of course, you could always shell out for an extra espresso shot (annoyingly, a Grande with an extra shot costs $4.45 instead of the $4.15 for a Venti), but the ex-barista has another insider tip. “If you’re most concerned about a necessary java buzz…order your Venti iced,” she writes. Even though a hot Venti only contains two shots, the iced drink version is automatically boosted with that coveted third shot. More caffeine, less money—we can roll with that. (But because we worry about your health, read these 7 signs you drink too much coffee.)

If you’re more concerned with health than caffeine, find out which Starbucks drink is the healthiest.

[Source: Business Insider]

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Are you obsessed with brain-busting puzzlers? Whether you want to prove your smarts or find weird brain exercises to make you smarter, you’ve come to the right place. But gamers, beware: This tricky visual illusion will almost certainly give you paws (pun intended).

In the video below, you’ll see an image of a dry, dusty field with patches of golden grass, a stone wall, and a dirt road. Your one task: To spot the cat that is cleverly camouflaged in this head-scratcher.

To challenge yourself even more, see if you can find the feline in 30 seconds. Only 5 percent of the people have actually succeeded within the time limit, so if you do, you’ll earn serious bragging rights. For those who are not as lucky, sharpen your skills (and redeem your pride!) by finding these camouflaged critters.

Need a hint? Train your eye on the stone wall in the right-hand side of the photo. You might even want to squint your eyes and tilt your head to one side—yes, it really is that tricky.

Once you find the hidden cat, congrats! You have absolutely purrr-fect vision. But if that was too easy for you, this hide-and-seek game isn’t over just yet. See if you can spot the hidden python in this photo or the mysterious turtle in a sea of lily pads, too.

[Source: Spot The Camouflaged Cat In Less Than 30 Seconds by TipHero on Rumble]

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The drugstore is totally sold out of tissues

What’s with all that mucus, anyway? “When your body is trying to fight infection, the cells in the nose generate more mucus in order to clear the system of harmful bacteria and viruses,” explains Christopher Hollingsworth, MD, general and endovascular surgery, NYC Surgical Associates. “As mucus levels increase, the mucous lining swells and the nasal cavity fills with excess fluid.” It sounds pretty disgusting, and causes a major stir in the tissue aisle of local stores all over flu-trodden regions. Find out what your mucus says about your health.

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The best stories of the year from HowStuffWorks.

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Communication is said to be only 7% what you say and 93% how you say it. In many ways, it’s all about what isn’t said—body language, eye contact, tone of voice—because what isn’t said shows the true emotion behind the message.

In Paraverbal Communication in Psychotherapy: Beyond the Words, authors James Donovan, Kristin Osborn, and Susan Rice put nonverbal communication in psychotherapy under the microscope.

Through case studies and both qualitative and quantitative analysis, the authors present a clear case for the value of understanding and leveraging paraverbal communication for the betterment of the patient.

Paraverbal Communication in Psychotherapy is reminiscent of a research-paper-turned-book, yet with a readability often lost in the technicalities of scholastic writing. The structure establishes credibility and offers a delineated roadmap, making it clear that despite its accessible tone, this isn’t Sunday reading for the everyday psychology nut. Rather, it is a genuine primer and experiential evaluation of using paraverbal communication as a tool in psychotherapy.

The authors relied on tapes of themselves and of other clinicians, and a quantitative rating guide – the Achievement of Therapeutic Objectives Scale (ATOS) – to determine the communicable connectivity between the paraverbal signals and the course of the treatment session.

The authors used distinct case studies followed by evaluations of the treatment session as determined by the ATOS score, clinicians’ perspectives, and a notated “script” of each participant’s nonverbal communication. In doing so, they were able to demonstrate not only the role of paraverbal communication in the session, but best practices and opportunities for clinicians to learn from in their own work.

I am a student of communication, psychology, and public speaking, but I am not a licensed therapist. That being said, my review takes into account the established credibility and academic structure of the book. Despite my lack of professional experience in the field, the brief history of psychotherapy provided in the opening pages was truly educational and set a solid foundation for the case studies.

Because the authors took the time to summarize the practice as well as the current and historical research, I had a base understanding from which to contextualize the “experimental” portions and evaluations that followed. As the book followed the structure of a well-researched paper, the case study portion was presented as mini-experiments, tested over time and analyzed for this book. This lent an air of objectivity to the research, which was well-established and communicated in a way that was both academically sound and accessible.

What did surprise this reader was that the body language portion of communication – referred to as paraverbal communication in this context – seemed to be a less-discussed topic or an ancillary study, as opposed to a core.

In my study of leadership, public speaking, and relating to others in those roles, understanding where people are coming from based on their body language is foundational information and something you are trained to be constantly aware of. It is quantified well by the research both preceding this work and shown in the case studies, and the authors further prove its validity as an important component in psychotherapy.

One additional strength of this book, and part of what kept it from being too bogged down by academic thoroughness was the tone. As mentioned previously, it is both accessible and clear, but more than that, it is personal. The authors – notably James Donovan – maintained an intimate connection to the reader that grabbed my attention and gave me the perspective of sitting in a small classroom and learning directly from the source.

While it laid the concepts clearly, built a solid research framework, and presented in an accessible yet authoritative tone, I found myself lacking the action steps for application on a case-by-case basis. This is where the downfall of the academic structure is seen, as there is not as clear a focus on “what do we do with it now,” in direct, actionable terms.

While a licensed therapist might know what to do with the information presented, the accessible tone would be topped off perfectly with a more direct application. By providing readers with methodology to apply the principles learned, this would be stronger as a primer on the topic as opposed to just a presentation of research.

In closing, what Donovan, Osborn, and Rice have done is take the principles of non-verbal communication and demonstrated their value in psychotherapy sessions. Backed by research and experience, Paraverbal Communication in Psychotherapy is an excellent primer on the topic for licensed therapists eager to better understand and respond to what their patients are really feeling and walking through in the moment.

Though I speak from outside the field as a formal participant, I can see how this work could be transformational for the practices of those who read it.

Paraverbal Communication in Psychotherapy: Beyond the Words
James M. Donovan, Kristin A. R. Osborn, Susan Rice
Rowman & Littlefield
October 2016
Paperback, 262 pages

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It’s that time of year again. Everyone I know is joining a gym, beginning a diet, and trying to start anew for the New Year. This year I’ve decided to do things a little differently. Instead of my typical New Year’s resolutions, which focus on work and personal goals, I’m writing relationship resolutions. Here are a few relationship enhancing behaviors that I’m going to work on in the coming weeks and months. Feel free to join me if you’d like to make your romantic relationship a happier, healthier union.

1. Be more positive

There are a host of reasons why positivity beats out negativity. Not only is positivity more attractive than pessimism or cynicism,¹ it’s also a winning strategy for navigating relationship conflict. Interestingly, relationship researchers found that people are particularly sensitive to negative feedback and that couples who engage in a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative comments are more likely to stay together.² I take this to mean that a little negativity goes a long way, and sometimes even an unintentional slight or criticism can have a powerful impact. I vow to try to be more positive, generally, but particularly when things get heated. 

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Some people are afraid of snakes or heights or plane crashes. For people with telephobia, a phone call is a big fat "no-can-do."

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For many people, IKEA is the one-stop shop for clean, simple, and affordable furniture. The Swedish furniture store certainly makes it easy to navigate through their stores and set up their furniture, but the one thing that isn’t so easy—pronouncing their products’ names.

Experts at the language-learning app Babbel did some research into how IKEA products get their crazy-sounding names. The reason each product isn’t just given a random arrangement of numbers and letters is because the founder of the store, Ingvar Kamprad, was dyslexic and would often make mistakes when working. By giving each product a specific name, it was easier for him to remember them, and he didn’t make as many mistakes when filling out information on forms. (This is the story behind how IKEA got its name.)

However, each product isn’t just assigned a random Swedish term. The company actually aims to name the products after Swedish towns and villages, humans, and other applicable Swedish words.

Here are some English translations of some IKEA bookcases:

Bookcase	Translation
Billy	Scandinavian Boy’s Name
Hemnes	Town in North Norway
Liatorp	Village in South Sweden
Laiva	Finnish Word for “Ship”
Brimnes	Town in South Sweden
Brusali	Place in Norway
Avdala	Town in Sweden
Galant	Swedish Word for “Gallant”
Bestå	Swedish Word for “Remain” or “Consist Of”
Kallax	Swedish Locality

Even though it might be difficult to pronounce some of these products when asking an employee for a certain couch or lamp, shoppers tend to like the foreign names because it gives the store a European feel. So try your best to pronounce them, and if you can’t get it right, blame it on the fact that you’re still chewing on one of their delicious meatballs.

Next, try these IKEA furniture hacks that you can DIY.

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